TOUR ACROSS AND ANCIENT LAND OF CAUCASUS ALBANIA - 10 NIGHTS / 11 DAYS

Day 1- Arrival in Baku airport at_______ by flight ________________from _________________;
- Meeting the tourists in the airport and transfer (25-30 km.) to the hotel;
- Arrival in the city and accommodation at the hotel;
- Supper at the hotel-

Day 2- Breakfast at the hotel restaurant;
- Baku city sightseeing tour (3 - 4 hours):
- the main city squares with the view of sculptural monuments;
- the panorama of the city and the Baku Bay from the Upland park;
- "Icheri Shekher"/ "Old City"- the medieval part of the city:
- the fortress walls and towers, "Gosha gala gapi" -the main city gates of the medieval Baku ; -the medieval tower "Giz galasi" -"Maiden Tower" Baku city symbol ;
- medieval caravasares / "Multani" ,"Bukhari" ,"2-storied" /;
- ancient mosques ,bathhouses ,handicraft workshops and antique stores ;
- the original architecture and the medieval city streets;
- Shirvanshakhs palace complex ( Divankhana ,Main building ,Inscriptions on the stones , Sheykh Seid-Yakhya Bakuvi Mausoleum, palatial Mosque, Burial vault and ancient Bathhouse);
- "Azadlig" ("Freedom") square- the main square of the modern city;
- Visiting Azerbaijan History Museum (1 hour);
- Lunch time at one of the restaurants of Baku city;
- Excursion (5 hours) across the Absheron peninsula and into the historicalethnographic "Gala" natural reserve (Baku environs 50 km. away):
- Masazir lake / Red lake- a place of an ancient folk field extracting lake table salt;
- A place of outlet of the fuel gas on "Yanardag-Burning Mountain";
- Old land oilfields in Ramana settlement environs;
- Medieval tower-shaped "Saint Fire" temple-castle in Ramana settlement;
- "Ateshgakh" fire worshippers' temple, a place of Zoroastrian sanctuary;
- Historical-Ethnographic outdoor Reserve in Gala settlement;
- Supper at one of the city restaurants and return to the hotel.

Day 3- Breakfast at the hotel;
- Combined (аuto-tramp) excursion/6 hours with the elements of «team building»/ to the natural and historic-artistic "Gobustan" museum-reserve / 75 km. to the south-west of the center of Baku/ ;
- The extensive travel information sightseeing the excursion objects (the old Oil fields and a memorial Mosque in the hole of "Bibi-Kheybat", panorama of the floating marine oil Platforms , the Plant of deep water stationary marine oil platforms, the medieval Caravansaray and the modern oil Terminal close to Sangachal and other settlements);
- A small active "Dashgil" mud volcano with the displays of mud-volcanic activity (oil and mud "salzas", knolls and "griffins") in the southern part of the reserve;
- An ancient "dolmen"/ nowadays sanctuary-heathen temple "Pir Gala-Alti" /, exotic rocks, endemic verdure and rock carvings in the region of Kichikdash mountain mass in the Southern part of the reserve;
- Rock carvings of late Stone Age period, Latin inscription (I century) on rocks and a small museum close to Boyukdash mountain mass in the central part of the reserve, pictures and pictograms;
- Lunch time at one of the cafes in the central part of Baku city;
- Thematic excursion "Azerbaijan Carpet"/ including Azerbaijani carpets/(2-3 hours):
- visiting "Azer-Ilma" enterprise with the full production cycle of silken carpets;
- view of the splendid exposition in 13 halls of the Azerbaijan Carpet museum;
- Supper at one of the city cafes and return to the hotel.

Day 4- Breakfast at the hotel restaurant;
- Moving to the region of Mountainous Shirvan (190 km. to the West of Baku) according to the route:Baku -Mereze -Shamakhi -Mugan pass -a small mountain "Basgal" settlement-reserve radial departure (25 km.) to the highland settlement-reserve "Lagich" (including visiting some excursion objects during the route ) :
- 2-storeyed mausoleum "Diri Baba" (XV century) in Mereze settlement;
- "Jume" mosque (XX century) and a complex of ancient mausoleums "Yeddi Gumbez" (XVIII-XIX centuries) in Shamakhi city and its environs;
- Nialdag mountain ridge panorama from Mugan pass;
- Excursion trip to Basgal village-former center of folk fields producing natural silken manufactures;
- Excursion trip across Girdiman mountain river canyon to "Lagich" settlement-reserve-center of handicraft folk fields (carpet weaving ,copper tableware production ,metal handling, coining, engraving, tanning industry etc.).- At midday time- Lunch at hotel "Sharadil"-3* restaurant in the area of Muganli settlement in Shamakhi region;
- Arrival in Lagich mountain settlement and accommodation at a small "Girdiman"-3* hotel in Aragit area;
- Excursion program (3 hours) in Lagij settlement visiting a local museum and handicraft workshops, and also acquaintance with the peculiar architecture of the houses and streets of the settlement;
- Supper at the hotel (including dishes of the regional cuisine)

Day 5- Breakfast at the hotel (in the traditional Azerbaijani style);
- Moving (about 120km.) following a route: Lagij-Ismaili-Vendam-Gabala-Mirzabayli-Nij-Oguz (visiting excursion object during the route):
- panorama of the mountains and canyons of the Big Caucasus and Aftaran valley;
- complex of steepled mausoleums in the environs of Burund and Khazra settlements in Gabala region;
- view of the small cascade "Yeddi Gozal/ 7 Beauties" waterfall in the region of Ruskan settlement in Gabala region;
- panorama of Nour mountain lake in the environs of Nourgishlag settlement in Gabala region;
- view of an ancient mosque and visit to the local museum of the regional studies in Gabala city;
- radial departure (5km. in one end) from Mirzabayli settlement to the place of archaeological excavations in "Kabalaka" ancient settlement- antique capital of the early-medieval country of Caucasian Albania;
- At midday time-lunch at the fish cafe (fresh river trout is served) close to the place of archaeological excavations in the environs of Chukhur-Gabala settlement;
- Continuation of the excursion program during the route:
- return to Mirzabaili settlement and trip to Nij settlement- a place of compact settling of "Udin" nation (the restored Albanian Christian temple "Jotari kilsasi" and an old Christian "Bulon" church);
- ruins of small Christian chapel in the environs of a small Oguz city;
- Arrival in Oguz and accommodation in "AFRA"5* tour complex;
- A short (about 1.5 hour) sightseeing auto-excursion in Oguz city (view of the 2 old Albanian temples and small Judaist synagogues of the local "shirvan" Jews);
-Return to the hotel and supper at the restaurant.

Day 6- Breakfast at the hotel;
- Transfer (about 45 km.) to Sheki city;
- Arrival in an ancient Azerbaijani Sheki city and excursion program here (4 hours):
- Panorama of the "old" part of the city from highland garden;
- Fortress walls and towers of an old city fortress;
- Summer residence of the local medieval rulers-"Mushtag's House"/ Sheki Khans Palace/;
- Round Christian Albanian temple / folk art museum /;
- Historical-regional studies museum/ former residence of the local governor of Tsarist Russia period /;
- Ancient barrel house "Yukhari Caravansary" and workshops of the local folk artisans;
- Local functioning "Omar Efendi" mosque;
- Early-medieval Christian Albanian temple "Mother of Eastern Churches" in Kish settlement;
- Visiting local eastern bazaar;
- At midday time-Lunch at the local restaurant with the dishes of regional cuisine;
- Return journey (about 350km.) to Baku according to the route: Sheki-Khaldan-Agdash-Goychay-Garamaryam-Akhsu-Akhsu pass-Muganli-Shamakhi-Baku;
- Short stop for tea at one of the roadside cafes at Akhsu pass;
- Arrival in Baku and accommodation at one of the city hotels;
- Supper at the hotel restaurant.

Day 7- Breakfast at the hotel in Baku city;
- Transfer ( about 310 km. ; including excursions ) to the Northern region of the republic according to the route: Baku-Beshbarmag/ panorama of the exotic rocky mountain massive /-Siazan-Galaalti- ruins of the early-medieval "Charakhgala" fortress;
- At midday time - Lunch at one of the local restaurants during the journey;
- Continuation of the route:
- Shabran-Guba-Nugadi-GamGam-Tenga Alti /panorama of the exotic canyon of Valvalchay mountain river /;
- Afurja-tramp walk (about 2 km. in both ends) to "Suetak" waterfall;
- Arrival in Guba city and accommodation at «Terrace» 3+* tour complex;
- Free time, rest;
- Supper at the restaurant of «Terrace» tour complex.

Day 8- Breakfast at the restaurant of «Terrace» tour complex;
- Short sightseeing excursion (2 hours) in the centre of Guba city and in Fatalikhan settlementa place of compact settling of Azeri "mountainous" Jews, and also visiting and viewing "Juma" and "Sakina khanum" mosques;
- Return to Baku city (about 170km.) following a route: Guba-Shabran-Baku;
- Arrival in Baku and accommodation at one of the city hotels;
- Free time (tramp walks around the city, shopping and etc.);
- Supper at one of the restaurants of Baku city including artistic show-program.

DAy 9- Breakfast at the hotel;
- Transfer from the hotel to the airport;
- Departure from Baku at ............................. by flight...............................